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May 16, 2018
Universal Audio UAD-2 Live Rack Announced
Written by Paul Lavigne
Universal Audio has just announced the UAD-2 Live Rack, a 16-channel MADI effects processor with real-time UAD processing designed with the front of house engineer in mind.
At its heart lies a UAD-2 Quad DSP system housed in a rock-solid 1U rack for secure fitting. Live sound engineers require unwavering reliability and as such Universal Audio’s latest offering includes a redundant power supply, allowing uninterrupted operation even if one of the current supplies stops working.
In what appears to be bridging the gap between their UAD-2 and their Apollo range of audio interfaces, the Live Rack processes audio with near-zero latency through Universal Audio’s incredible range of high-quality plug-ins and world-class emulations of some of the most revered hardware processors. Just like the Apollo, it comes with a dedicated and simplified “console” called Live Rack which lets you add your plug-ins on the desired channels.
The software has been specially designed for fast and smooth operations with drag and drop, plug-in control zoom, keyboard navigation, secure snapshot storage and recall capabilities and much more. Unlike the Apollo and the UAD-2 DSP cards, the Live Rack only requires a computer to edit and manage settings, all the processing happens directly in the box so should your computer freeze or crash, your audio will still process the sound with the last settings used.
For those who require more than 16 channels, up to four units can be cascaded offering a total of 64 MADI channels while Soundcraft VI users will benefit from its networked software integration for unmatched workflow.
The UAD-2 Live Rack comes in two versions, The UAD-2 Live Rack Core and the UAD-2 Live Rack Ultimate with the only difference being the number of plug-ins included. The Core version comes with UA 1176, UA Teletronix LA-2A, Pultec EQs and Antares AutoTune Realtime plug-ins, while the Ultimate version comes with over 95 plug-ins developed by Universal Audio.
When purchasing through KMR, you’ll also have the option to upgrade your purchase with custom bundles offering you the option of buying 2, 3, 6 or 10 plug-ins at a discounted price.